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Rex Clinkscales (pictured) topped a field of 412 players at a final table that was five hours long to win the DSPT Battle of Alberta Edmonton Main Event on Monday at Casino Yellowhead. He took home CAD $79,300 in prize money, and also secured a $3,000 DSPT Championship package.

“It feels amazing, it hasn’t really sunk in yet,” said Clinkscales after the hard-fought victory. “I came in eight of nine in chips today, and my game-plan was just to be patient, and try to let them hopefully make some mistakes and pick up some pots here and there. So I stayed patient through a lot of the final table to get a couple key hands short-handed, and I was fortunate to win,” said Clinkscales when he was asked about playing with a short stack for the majority of the final table.

Clinkscales became the first two-time champion in the history of the tour with his victory tonight. He won the Tampa stop earlier this season in June. Clinkscales also took the lead in the DSPT Player of the Year race with 1,800 points. “It definitely adds a lot of pressure, and then with the Immokalee stop being cancelled (due to Hurricane Irma) it was another stop where I wouldn’t have an opportunity to collect any points, so I wanted to make sure I got as many points as possible, and not leave anything on the table while I was here,” said Clinkscales when he was asked about the Player of the Year race.

The three-handed battle took longer than the entire play-down stretch from nine to three, as Clinkscales survived in a chopped pot, and Jamie Martin doubled up at the expense of Michael DeGirolamo to prolong the start of the heads-up final. There was another chopped pot between Clinkscales and DeGirolamo before DeGirolamo eventually exited in third place. Clinkscales took out DeGirolamo, and that gave him 4 million to take into the heads-up final against Martin’s 6.3 million.

On the final hand of the night, Clinkscales raised to 400,000 preflop on the button, and Martin came along for the ride. The flop was dealt 4♦3♥2♠, and both players checked. The turn fell 10♦, and both players contributed another 400,000 to the pot. The river delivered the 6♦, and Martin bet 500,000. Clinkscales raised all in, and Martin called all in. Clinkscales showed A♦3♦, and Martin folded his hand.

Clinkscales won the pot and the tournament with a flush on the river. Martin was out in second place, good for CAD $5,580. Clinkscales took home the top prize worth CAD $79,300, and the USD $3,000 DSPT Championship package.